OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 201 



doiibtedly the justifying reasons which back up the expanded efforts 

 in surveying and in oceanographic research will come out of this 

 report. 



On the other hand, we are fully appreciative that oceanography is 

 an expensive science. This is brought about by the fact that your 

 collecting tool is a ship and ships are very expensive. The rest of 

 the process, strange to say, is rather inexpensive once the data is in 

 hand. 



Now, viewed, of course, primarily from the military standpoint, we 

 have a number of competing and very serious problems. We have 

 the antisubmarine problem which is largely a matter of engineering 

 and science in other directions than oceanography. We have the air 

 defense problem. We have the ne«d for faster ships, more sophisti- 

 cated and frightfully expensive missile systems. The national 

 economy can stand, of coursCj but so much expenditure per year. 



Therefore, what we are going to do in oceanography must be care- 

 fully weighed and balanced against the competing needs of the other 

 systems which we are dependent upon for our defense. 



Certainly we are going to have to have increased appropriations in 

 R. & D. for oceanography. 



One cannot say whether or not any national supervisory body would 

 be required. For the time being we are firmly convinced that the man- 

 ner of doing business established by the National Academy of Sciences, 

 vigorously supported by the Office of Naval Research and with very 

 excellent field work being performed by Dr. Brown's committee and 

 by the informal Coordinating Committee on Oceanography, is the 

 best ansv^er for the time being. Perhaps enabling legislation will be 

 required later. 



To answer your question categorically, it is too early to state what 

 the nature of the help would be. Perhaps the present arrangement, 

 given somewhat more authority, let us say, to divert funds, will be the 

 answer. 



Mr. Miller. Of course, we realize that, if we can get away from 

 having to set up some overall committee or agency officially, perhaps 

 we can best serve. 



Captain Munson. We believe that, sir, if we can escape it. 

 ]Mr. Miller. I am not going to commit myself on that at this time. 

 This committee is awaiting the issuance of the report of the committee 

 of the National Academy of Sciences headed by Dr. Brown. We real- 

 ize that what has been released so far is merely the first section and 

 the preliminary report and that the details are to follow. Until we 

 get them, there is not very much that we can do other than to familiar- 

 ize ourselves with the problem, and I want to assure you that, if it 

 is a fact as stated here that people who have long been in this business 

 and devoted themselves to it as you have know very little about that 

 which is below the surface of the sea, what this committee and what 

 the average layman know about that which is below the surface of the 

 sea is meager. 



We have been trying to perfect ourselves and get this information 

 so that, when the Brown report is finally issued, we will be in position 

 to interpret it and perhaps be a year or more ahead, having initiated 

 the work of the committee at this time. 



